cookie's Fishing Blog

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z

posted on 03/31/2015

Jake just stopped by on his way to the rainy river going after sturgeon his favoritefishing trip of the year? I thought his trips up here were his favorite. Oh well! Marty and I repaired our dock on the tamarac river Thursday and part of Friday. Lon arrived around 2 to try and find the mother load one last time. I was in a hurry and was not able to remember the boys name Sorry guys. I talked to Lon later just after dark and they were looking forward to catching a elusive upper red lake crappie or two. When I talked to Lon Saturday they had managed to land 18 for there one night trip. Well done. I have no clue where they were fishing as I never found there holes from last week. I know they were in the area but not the spot on the spot. I was out of town and have no idea what the ice is like at this time. I have some nice projects to work on here at the house and cabins so I will keep busy with that for now. I expect there will also be some farming in the next few days.

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posted on 03/27/2015

At 5 degrees this morning are we making ice. Sure gotta think so. I know its froze up Buddy Hillmen's landing real solid. I Talked to Buddy and the access is open this weekend day to day. I do not see any problems getting out there one last weekend. Marty and I hit the lake around 6:45 pm. Of course I found some more garbage so we had to make a few stops on our way. There was one place I knew I needed to tend to so I made sure we stopped there and cleaned up there mess. When we got closer to our fishing area there was a lone truck out there. I thought! Rats now I would have to share 48,000 acres. I stopped to see how they were doing ,but no elusive upper red lake crappies. They were right in a spot that produced well over 30 elusive upper red lake crappies the last weekend of walleye season. I had a hunch and wanted to try a completely new spot. It was real close to where I had north Carolina when Jakes crew were up. We punched 4 holes and got our lines down just as the sun hit the horizon. I then punched 3 more holes walking south west. After the third hole I had enough as auger # 1 seems a little dull all ready. With the extension on, standing on flat ice, its a little trickier to handle for me. When I came back to my rattling flyer tipped with a minnow it was fish on, but wrong kind. I re baited got my line down and my bobber just kept going down. I set the hook on some thing real small. It was a scuffit of a walleye 6 to 8 inches, Perfect spot I thought! That pumped me up. Just after dark I stepped around the truck and Marty says fish on. My bobber! I said take him and he landed our first and only elusive upper red lake crappie of the evening. He got off at the hole and I swooped down to scoop him up and soaked my cotton glove. Of course it was comical as I lost him and had to swoop at him again. I scooped him out of the hole and he darn near went down the next hole over. It was not long after and my hand was cold as the temp was in the twentys and my sleeve of my jacket was wet. Oh well it was a blast as we stared at the stars enjoying our time on such a magnifcant lake. Heading in we stopped to talk to Ethen ,Mack and Rich. The spot they were set up had not produced one elusive upper red lake crappie. I told them to try and stick it out as late as possible and headed for home sweet home. I think that may of been my last trip out with blue thunder. If your out there this weekend please spend a minute or two picking up any trash you may notice . Even the little round blocks of wood some one used to block up houses.

a

posted on 03/26/2015

As it quiets down around here my reports are sure to get shorter and shorter. My big plans for fishing yesterday changed a bit. I dilly dallied all morning enjoying watching the snow come straight down in giant flakes . Did a little spring cleaning and listened too a radio interview of David Shankle out of Chicago. My brother warren is the lead singer and they just cut a new cd. DSG is the name of the group . Its heavy metal? Around 10 pm I noticed the snow had quit, rats it would of been very relaxing wetting a line out there . I stepped out of the house around noon to feel the rush of a 30 degree day with the winds howling 30 miles a hour out of the north a should of been out there 6 hours earlier. Foiled by mother nature. Oh well with the snow cover I was still determined to wet a line . I thought great I will not see any liter and can focus on fishing. Buddy Hillmens landing was still in great shape and its very cold here this morning with snow flurries. As I drove out on the lake with blue thunder darn if I did not find some more crap oh well no big deal better picked up now then later. I zigged and zagged all the way out to the two spots I had marked. With the north wind and a little blowing snow I thought it sure would be nice to have some out here with me for safety reason. Oh well on I went .Number one auger fired right up and that happens when you do not have bad gas in it. I punched two holes with ease and could tell the ice is a changing. I took a pic of the auger over half way down but I can take off the extension if a want. I dropped a bobber set up down one hole and a small rattling flyer on the other with 3 waxies. It was brutal out there to say the least .After jigging around 15 minutes with out a mark it was time to move. The next spot was the same. Nothing not even a mark. The second spot I got rid of the waxies and went with a minnow. Very bad timing on my part and I headed home skunked. Oh well it was not a good day weather wise to be out there. I'm hoping Marty and I will wet a line tonight as this will most likely be the last trip on the ice with blue thunder for the season. working on the dock this morning ,Hauling manure this afternoon and fishing with my good friend Marty. I'm sure he will also enjoy getting out on the ice one more time

w

posted on 03/25/2015

After spending the morning policing the lake monday afternoon I was off to the farm to haul manure. I see a pattern here. yesterday again I headed out on the lake with blue thunder to check the crack that had crossed Buddy Hillmens road. All was good and it looks like it locked up and has had no movement. I then headed west and again had to stop for a couple pieces of trash. Please if your going to fish red lake in the winter take your time to check the area before you leave, its a little ridicules . I total under stand that some things get lost or accidently frozen in the lake. A christmas tree? With 3 6 foot 2x4s? Ohh well sorry about the rant. I only had a little time on the lake and never made it more then 3 miles out before I had to come home and go to the dreaded tax man. Well at least that's done. Today I plan on checking the ice by augering a few holes to see how soft or hard the ice is. I be leave it also decays from the bottom up. I all ready know where I want to start and plan on not forgetting the vex this time. Buddy Hillmen's access has re frozen up nice with the colder weather. There was a pick up parked on the ice yesterday and must of went out with a wheeler. Who ever he was he had 48,000 acres all to him self. I wonder if he is fishing where I was going to go? Not sure if I want to get any minnows or just use waxie's. Jake says just use waxie's, I'm going to pick up a scoop of minnows as the fish are hungry. Waiting to here from Marty as we have to repair my dock before the ice goes off the river, not sure how were going to get the 24 feet of dock back down the bank but with a little ingenuty it can be done. Been staring at the boat and looking forward to prepping it for the up and coming fishing season. I have a little research to do on the prop set up. Its cloudy today with a slight breeze and snow fluuries should be a awesome day to wet a line. The biggest problem I'm having is the liter I can not just drive by it. Oh well maybe I will fish at each spot I stop to pick something up. that sound like a good plan. Sorry if it sound like I'm being a dink about the trash but thats the way the cookie crumbles. Have a grand day. I know I will on a grand lake looking for the elusive yet still catchable upper red lake crappie

q

posted on 03/23/2015

Sounds like the cities got pounded with snow. Here on the shores of upper red lake it could not of been a more picture perfect. The sun was shining with just the slightest of a breeze out of the se. Its was nice meeting you Borch. Got a kick of your statement about the crowds? Not sure what you meant. The guys in the white vechicel struck out in the hot spot last week. I spent a couple hours on the lake policing the lake for liter as its much easier to get it now then when its floating in the water. I reminisced as I drove to each area I had worked over and ruined. I was pretty satisfied with what I found, just a 2×4 or two and a plastic water bottle and a wheel houses trash that must of been fishing in the area. I checked the last place that Rodger fished and was not to happy to find a pair of jeans, 3 tee shirts, a pair of sweat pants and two sweat shirts. Did he leave his laundry? I will ask him next time I talk to or see him. There was also a few other pieces of liter. I also was a little nosey and checked where a couple locals fished this year. Wow what a difference. One you would of never known he was there? The other both spots were well marked lets say. I picked the areas up and will bite my tongue for now. Its was a enjoyable ride on the lake as I tooled around. The area I took Steave too Saturday was well punched with 20 holes at least. They either left the area or the guys did not stay late enough. Jakes magic moment ,mine and Kellies all happen at 5 am to 6 30 am. Oles happened in a wind storm/white out at 8 pm. I again did not find where Lon and his two boys landed on the mother load but that was from sunset to 8 30 pm. Fins and feathers spot produced the whole time they were here and that area was peppered with Steaves holes. Leaving that area I found numeruse places to wet a line if there headed in the line I picked . I also found a couple real fishy looking areas and plan on augering a couple holes there today as I again tool around the lake. This is the time of year you should be able to catch them all day long. Coming off the lake it looked like the dump trucks driving on the lake to haul the sand from the channel may of caused a couple cracks to come from the mouth of the river right across Buddy Hillmens road? We will have to keep a eye on them as the ice starts to melt and shift with the winds and temps. I have had no calls since I took Steave out there Saturday so it looks like she is winding down. Buddy Hillmen got the rentals he had on the lake this weekend back to shore. Frank and Jana at North Country food and fuel added a new set of tanks for bait as he is gearing up for opener. I would assume with 4 tanks he will have a bigger variety this summer of live bait. Got a email from the Herbecks and they canceled there reservation for the cabins for the second weekend after opener as Steave said it was not worth coming up for two fish. Frank and his crew are all still coming up as they just want to be able to have a fish fry and hardly ever take fish home with them. Its sounds like my brother Warren from Chicago will be up for opener and maybe my cusin Stanly plus I mentioned it to Bob.